Jude Bellingham leads England to World Cup semifinals after beating Norway

England reached the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2018 after a narrow 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The quarterfinal match, held in Miami Gardens, Florida, was defined by the clinical performance of Jude Bellingham, whose two goals secured a place for the Three Lions in the final four of the tournament.

The win keeps alive England’s pursuit of their first World Cup title since 1966. They now prepare to face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Switzerland, who were set to play Saturday night in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Norway, appearing in its first quarterfinal, took an unexpected lead in the 36th minute. Andreas Schjelderup fired a shot that struck the right post and ricocheted into the net, stunning the English side. The atmosphere in the stadium remained tense, with spectators including Mick Jagger and David Beckham witnessing a match marked by controversial officiating and high stakes.

Controversy flared shortly before halftime regarding England’s equalizer. During a Norway goal kick, the ball appeared to make contact with an aerial camera cable, which shifted its trajectory and landed at the feet of England’s Elliot Anderson. The play eventually led to Bellingham’s first goal. While regulations dictate that such interference should result in a stoppage of play and a dropped ball, FIFA stated that the sensor in the "Connected Ball" showed no evidence of contact with the overhead wire.

The second half saw further drama, including a disallowed goal for Norway in the 55th minute. Torbjørn Heggem had appeared to restore the lead for the Norwegians, but a video review determined that Erling Haaland had committed a foul in the box during the build-up. Haaland, who entered the match with seven goals, was held scoreless throughout the contest and was substituted for Jorgen Strand Larsen during the second half of extra time.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 93rd minute when Bellingham, capitalizing on a rebound from a Morgan Rogers strike, scored his second goal of the night. This performance brings Bellingham’s tournament total to six goals, tying him with teammate Harry Kane. Both players currently trail France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who each have eight goals in the competition. This result marks the first time in history that two teammates have scored six goals each in a single World Cup.

Reflecting on the match, England head coach Thomas Tuchel expressed mixed feelings about his team’s progression.

"We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It's amazing but not happy with the performance - in every sense. We were lucky today."

Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach, via Yahoo Sports

England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the brutal environmental conditions, noting that the heat and humidity made the match even more taxing than their previous victory over Mexico. Despite the challenges, Kane emphasized the squad's resilience:

"We've got that togetherness, that team spirit, that commitment. We drive ourselves. We never say never."

Harry Kane, England Captain, via The New York Times

For Norway, the defeat concludes a historic run that captured international attention, particularly for their team charisma and "Viking row" celebrations. The match was preceded by a brief moment of silence in honor of Jayden Adams, the 25-year-old South African midfielder whose death was announced earlier on Saturday.

Tournament Context

• Goal Scorers (England): Jude Bellingham (6 goals), Harry Kane (6 goals).
• Next Opponent: Either Argentina or Switzerland.